1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a settlement terminal having a settlement function, and particularly relates to a settlement terminal which is connected to a settlement organ computer in a settlement organ through a communication line.
2. Discussion of the Background
Electronic payment by use of various cards, instead of cash, is widely used these days. The various cards used for electronic payment include, for example, credit cards and cash cards used in debit card payments.
The electronic payment is executed with the use of a settlement terminal. The settlement terminal reads card data from the various cards and inputs personal identification numbers in settlement processing. In a settlement processing with a credit card, by way of example, the settlement terminal reads, as card data, a credit card number in order to execute the settlement processing. In a settlement processing with a cash card, used in a debit card payment, the settlement terminal reads an account number of a bank as card data, and inputs a personal identification number in order to execute the settlement processing. In a settlement processing, the settlement terminal creates inquiry information on the basis of card data read from the various cards and the inputted personal identification number. The inquiry information is sent through a communication line to a settlement organ computer in a settlement organ to execute an authorization. Upon receiving an approval from the settlement organ computer in response to the inquiry, the settlement terminal executes the settlement processing.
In accordance with the widespread use of electronic payment, theft of card data stored on cards becomes a problem. Card data is fraudulently obtained by skimming, by which information recorded as card data is fraudulently read and copied. Skimming can be easily carried out by equipment called a skimmer. The skimmer is, for example, fraudulently installed into the settlement terminal being used. To install the skimmer into the settlement terminal, a criminal secretly opens a housing of the settlement terminal to install the skimmer inside the housing, and then closes the housing. If the skimmer is installed into the settlement terminal, the skimmer accumulates card data every time the settlement terminal is used. Card data accumulated in the skimmer can be copied down to blank cards, which are new cards having the same standards as the various legitimate cards, by scanning the blank cards. Therefore, fraudulent electronic payment is possible by the illegal use of such counterfeit cards, onto which the card data of other people has been copied.
To solve such a problem, a settlement terminal with a switch for detecting the opening and closing of the housing is proposed. The settlement terminal announces that the housing has been opened, once the switch has detected the opening of the housing. A settlement terminal like this is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-256566.
In the settlement terminal disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-256566, however, if the criminal knows the position of the switch, it is conceivable that the criminal could open the housing after modifying the settlement terminal so as not to activate the switch. In this case the criminal can install the skimmer inside the housing without anybody noticing.